6/21/2004 -- This weekend Oracle unveiled its 10g track of database certifications, featuring a significant reduction in the number of exams required to earn the track's credentials.

With 10g, the entry-level Oracle Certified Database Associate (OCA) title will require passing only one exam: Oracle Database 10g: Administration (#1Z1-042). The earlier 9i version of this title required two exams.

To earn the mid-level Oracle Certified Professional Database Administrator (OCP DBA) 10g credential, candidates must first become an OCA then pass one more exam, Oracle Database 10g: Administration II (#1Z1-043), for a total of two exams. Those pursuing the current 9i version of this credential are required to pass four exams.

According to Oracle, a beta version of the Administration I exam will launch in late July, with the beta for Administration II coming in September.

John Hall, senior vice president of Oracle University, said in a printed statement that the program reduced the requirements for its 10g credentials due in part to the nature of the product it covers. "The automation and efficiency of Oracle Database 10g, coupled with Oracle University's training expertise, enables our customers to be trained and certified in less time than ever before," he explained. "By leveraging the innovative and automated features of Oracle Database 10g, Oracle University has significantly reduced the cost and time to train and certify."

The company will continue to require that new OCP DBA candidates take one Oracle University course (classroom or Internet-based) in order to earn the title. The company introduced this requirement with its 9i track. Training remains optional for the OCA.

Oracle also formally announced a new line of of specialty database certifications, covering topics such as high availability, security, IT consolidation and grid control. This announcement was not unexpected, as Oracle previously announced a beta exam for an upcoming Linux-focused 10g specialization.

Details on exactly how the Oracle Database 10g Administrator Special Accreditation program will work have not yet been released, although Oracle did state that the first specialization to go live will be High Availability, which will launch "later in 2004." The beta for this exam has not yet been announced.

The company said that it will also be offering a 10g version of its lab-based Oracle Certified Master exam, but did not offer further details.

For current OCP DBAs, Oracle will be offering upgrade exams to allow those certified in 7.3, 8, 8i and 9i to become 10g certified by passing a single test. The 9i to 10g exam is currently available in beta format.

As Oracle typically keeps two versions of its certifications current, the 9i track should remain available for a significant amount of time after the 10g track launch. The company previously announced that its 8i OCP DBA will be retired in Dec. 31.

CertCities.com will bring you more on this story as information becomes available. To view the official announcement of these certifications, go here.